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We say Yes - Too

The North Coast Journal should be commended ("EPIC Changes," Aug. 18) for including a diversity of voices in the well written story published last week about our organization, the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC). I write to respond to a comment included in the story from a representative of Green Diamond Resource Co. (aka Simpson Timber Co.), who mis-characterized EPIC as being an environmental group that says, "no, period."

Though we vocally and articulately criticize the high intensity and short rotation liquidation forestry practices that Green Diamond implements on a majority of its holdings, the truth is that EPIC has long been a part of a broad community that has a very clear vision of the ecological forestry to which we can say "yes." Our recent active support of the Usal Redwood Forest project is a concrete example of how EPIC is committed to the development of a dignified and ecologically sound timber industry on the North Coast.

EPIC works aggressively to expose bad practices on our region's forestlands, as well as acting collaboratively to support projects that respect people and the land they work on. We welcome inquiries about our current program initiatives, and invite people to come by our office at 145 G St. in Arcata for our next open house, planned for 6 p.m., Thursday, Sept 15. This will be a great opportunity for folks to come by and learn more about our organization, and to explore how our "no" to destructive industrial forestry activities is punctuated by an exuberant "yes" to a community-based ecological forestry vision for our globally treasured redwood region landscape.